Anchor Free Website Blocked

The anchor free website (www.anchorfree.com) is blocked from Belize.  Thanks for the good ole cencorship BTL.

BTL – VoIP Blocking Pride

At the June 2007 CANTO confernce, BTL made it very clear that they are blocking VoIP. They have proudly become the model for other Caribbean telecommunications companies to emulate. The arrogrance is so breathtaking, they even invited their VoIP blocking vendor (Bitek) to present. If you are interested in learning more about the “economic protections” employed by BTL, head over the CANTO website – http://www.canto.org – the presentations from the conference are linked from the bottom of the home page. Here are some highlights:

BTL CHAIRMAN OPENING STATEMENT 2007

Bitek International – Managing VoIP.pdf

Bitek International – VoIP Filtering.pdf

Bitek International – Reversing Revenue Decline.pdf

This takes the cake… click on the picture to see BTL’s certificate of arrogance:

Almost June 2007 – BTL Still Censoring Belizeans.

Since March of 2006, BTL has been selectively deciding what internet content Belizeans can access. This site has chronicled their blatant deceit and suppression of independent choice. The colonial lords and ladies, after being outcast from Britain to Belize, have decided to make our country their own personal experiment in economic shame. BTL is no exception. It is locked in the stranglehold of the “Ashcroft Curse”. Prices go up, Mikey gets richer, and Belize falls even further behind in many of the key social, educational and infrastructure measures as compared to the rest of the world.

Internet (IP) voice and video are now global standards in communication for many industries. Many people have simply circumvented BTL’s blocks, and some have gone so far as canceling BTL in favor of an alternate ISP. It has been some time since this site was updated. We believe it is time for a reminder on how exactly to circumvent BTL and get what the constitution affords you despite the criminal actions of Lord Ashcrook:

• If you simply want to dump BTL, your options are SMART/SpeedNet or satellite. The satellite options are still DirecWay, Starband and now iDirect. We may cover these options as they pertain to VoIP usage in further posts. The goal for this post is to update residents of Belize on bypassing BTL’s VoIP blocks on their high-speed DSL internet services.
• If you use Skype or any other PC-based telephony service, the answer is a software VPN (virtual private network). Most people have used HotspotVPN and Witopia SecureMyWiFi. For technical technical reasons beyond the scope of this post, it is always better to opt for a “UDP-based” VPN. AnchoFree is another variety of VPN that is FREE, but quality has varied greatly with AF expecially on 128kbps connections (BTL’s $100bz/mo ADSL service).
• If you use Vonage or Packet8 or any other SIP adapter-based product, there are two options. The first is to turn your PC, running the PC-based VPN software, into a “router/encrypt-er” for your Vonage box. Many of the country’s IT professional have been quietly implementing this service for their customers. Ask around and you will likely find a technician willing to help you set this up.
• The second option for Vonage users to purchase a dedicated VPN router, a hardware based solution. This alleviates the need for a PC to run the VPN and generally results in a much more stable and clear connection for the voice/video call. This option requires a service provider in the US or any country outside Belize to provide a VPN server to which your hardware can connect.
• The last option is to find a service provider either PC-based or adapater-based that uses the IAX protocol. IAX is a protocol developed along with the open source PBX named Asterisk and is currently NOT blocked in Belize. IAX is a less common IP voice protocol to its big brother SIP, but it works just the same. Future posts will include direct links to IAX service providers and IAX hardware.

The goal of this site is to protect the rights of the residents of Belize. We’re not interested in bowing to BTL’s intimidation. Some comments on this site in the past have suggested that these solutions should be kept quiet. We respect that opinion, but we must also respectfully disagree. BTL is acting criminally. BTL is a piece of a massive criminal scheme to make a few rich British Lords a bit richer. In their circles, Belizeans are a big JOKE. Why should we curb our mutual disrespect and disdain for their behaviour?

Musa’s Hypocritical Script

Technology – good, corruption – bad, being Ralph’s puppet boy and letting him run Belize’s telecommuncations policy into the ground – priceless.

From the LoveFM story today covering the launch of the government’s new web site:

Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize

“The cost cutting nature of technology today provides opportunity and enables delivery of the much needed economic and social information more efficient while transcending distances to provide wider and broader access.”

Um, isn’t this what VoIP does?

And from the LoveFM story covering Belize’s rank of 66 of the world’s most corrupt countries:

Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize

“You will find that there is corruption in every part of the world today. What we are doing is that we are making this more transparent so whether it is an officer taking a bribe to do a job or to do it quickly, we need to expose and adjust these things. You cannot have corruption in the public sector unless it is taking place in the private sector. So there is need for us to look at this thing a societal problem and recognize it and address it in that way.”

Then why have you not yet responded to the publicly exposed collusion between your utilities minister, the PUC and BTL? Isn’t it now time to “adjust”?

And Here Is The Proof! – UDP Press Release With Secret Dean Boyce Letter

Here is the full October 10, 2006 press release from the UDP:

The attached letter has been leaked to the United Democratic Party, and provides yet more disturbing proof of the government’s dishonesty to, and betrayal of, the people of Belize.

The UDP remembers the great fanfare with which the PUC sponsored open hearings on VOIP, and the force of public sentiment in favor of VOIP’s free use by Belizeans. When, after the hearings, the PUC published its guidelines on VOIP, the consensus was that those regulations did not go nearly far enough because they did not grant Belizeans unrestricted use of this cheap and easily available technology.

Now we learn that Government was always determined that even the minor concessions granted by the PUC would never be realized by the people of this country. It was always a shell game, with the Minister of Public Utilities guaranteeing BTL that not withstanding the PUC’s published guidelines, the public would continue to be shafted and BTL’s blocking of VOIP would continue to be maintained.

The perfidy of the Minister calls for the greatest possible condemnation and censure. His actions are immoral in the extreme. They also constitute another example of his continuing readiness to place himself above the law. After all, the PUC is the only legal regulatory telecommunications authority in this country. The frustration by the Minister of the PUC guidelines is as unconstitutional as his infamous SI recently struck down by the Supreme Court.

The UDP demands that the Prime Minister immediately make a statement, saying whether he knew of the Minister’s action. If he didn’t, then he must fire the Minister. And if he did, they must both resign.

Click HERE to read the letter. It is a JPG picture scanned from paper (on BTL letterhead), you may have to click it again to MAGNIFY once it is loaded into your browser.

 

Belize PUC – New Class Licenses Approved

The PUC has issued a total of 25 Telecommunications Class Licenses since 2003, and 5 since the PUC took on the VoIP issue. It is unclear whether any of these new licensees plans to compete on VoIP services. If you own or represent any of these organizations, please email BFIC (bficmail [at] gmail [dot] com) and give us an idea when we can drop BTL or at least legally use a Belize-owned VoIP service.

Here is the full list from the PUC website:

http://www.puc.bz/publications/class%20licensees.doc

See the full list by clicking this link:

US House Of Reps – Working On A Bill To Protect US Businesses From “Repression By Authoritarian Foreign Governments”

Hmmm, very interesting for VoIP blocking nations, especially those who HEAVILY rely on US exports, aid and tourism business.

Bill: H.R.4780 : To promote freedom of expression on the Internet, to protect United States businesses from coercion to participate in repression by authoritarian foreign governments, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] (introduced 2/16/2006) Cosponsors (14)
Committees: House International Relations; House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 6/22/2006 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .

As part of the bill, Congress would make various findings, including:

• “Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are fundamental human rights, and free use of the Internet is protected in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, which guarantees freedom ‘to receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers'”;

• “The Internet has been a success because it quickly provides information to its more than 972 million users globally”;

• “The growth of the Internet and other information technologies can be a force for democratic change if the information is not subject to political censorship”; and

• “Political censorship of the Internet degrades the quality of that service and ultimately threatens the integrity and viability of the industry itself, both in the United States and abroad.”

The bill provides the following statement of policy for the United States to:

• “Promote the ability of all to access and contribute information, ideas and knowledge via the Internet, and to advance the right to receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers as a fundamental component of United States foreign policy”;

• “Use all instruments of United States influence, including diplomacy, trade policy and export control, to support, promote and strengthen principles, practices and values that promote the free flow of information”; and

• “Prohibit any United States business from cooperating with officials of Internet-restricting countries in effecting political censorship of online content.”

BTL Webtalk: Where Is It Already?

So, it is the end of August now and still no word from BTL on WebTalk, their rumored new “Internet Phone Service” aka VoIP aka GOOD IDEA. Remember back in April when VoIP was the devil? The truth is BTL has taken their sweet time understanding exactly what we have all understood all along, VoIP works, VoIP is efficient, and it is the future of voice communication.

They’ve recently lowered their international rates from land/mobile lines (using VoIP), another obvious response to the pending competition.
Good luck with your new offerings BTL. Your customers have good memories. As long as you continue blatently ripping us off, we are going to send our business elsewhere. For now, it is Skype and Vonage. But we all know your local competitors are coming…

Encryption Services Part Deux

As a follow up to the original post, here is a detailed rundown of the pubic VPN services that are BFIC recommended. Please provide feedback below by “commenting” on the post.

All service costs are in $USD.

Name: PublicVPN.com
Website: PublicVPN.com
Type: PPTP or L2TP/IPSEC
Cost: $5.95/mo or $59.95/yr
Client Type: Windows/MacOSX/Linux Built-In Services
Performance: BTL blocked access to its gateway servers for 6 hours on 7/14, so it may not be around for much longer. PPTP performance is adequate on a 256k/128k DSL connection. Performance is sluggish to non-existent on a 128k/64k connection, especially with Skype.

Name: AnchorFree Hotspot Shield
Website: AnchorFree.com
Type: SSL VPN
Cost: FREE
Client Type: Downloaded Software (Windows 2000/XP) only
Performance: UNTESTED, please provide a comment

Name: Witopia PersonalVPN
Website: WiTopia.Net
Type: SSL VPN
Cost: $39.99 (Lifetime?)
Client Type: Downloadable Windows and MacOSX Clients
Performance: UNTESTED, please provide a comment

Name: HotSpotVPN
Website: HotSpotVPN.com
Type: SSL VPN – Various Encryption Strengths
Cost: $10.88 – $13.88 /mo
Client: Open Source Clients (Free) From Numerous Sites, Support for ALL Operating Systems
Performance: UNTESTED, please provide a comment

BTL Is Ignoring The PUC Ruling, Can They Do That?

Apparently they can.

Over a week ago, the Belize PUC released their guidelines specifically permitting PC-to-PC calling software like Skype, MSN and Yahoo. The greedmongers at BTL are officially ignoring their framework and still blocking ALL INTERNET PHONE SERVICES. This ridiculous behavior is sending their own organization and thousands of confused BTL customers into total disarray.

PUC, What is your purpose again? At what point do BTL’s actions this become criminal? Could the electricity and water companies you regulate get away with such voilations? Who is protecting us?

Do you realize the extent of the PR nightmare you are causing with your “framework”? In the world telecommunications community, we are now lumped in with China and Saudi Arabia. How does it feel to have placed Belize on a short list that includes those names? Did you know that in Saudi Arabia, the accepted punishment for robbery is to amputate one of the thief’s limbs?

Most countries allow ALL kinds of VoIP service. Where did you miss this fact in all the “meetings” you conducted when formulating this framework?

Here is what people are saying:

“If someone in the US wants to call and make a reservation to stay at a hotel in Belize and the hotel has a Vonage number, they are cut off. BTL and GOB currently make NO MONEY on incoming calls. So why cut off your nose to spite your face? Even if they allowed incoming calls, it would make it MUCH EASIER for prospective tourists, developers, investors, etc. to get in touch with someone in Belize. But now, they will be unable to.” (shuffles, AmbergrisCaye.com Message Board)

“Bottom line, they have managed to block VOIP at the expense of screwing up all their other services. No body wins except Michael Ashcroft, the rich Brit, who now owns controlling interest in BTL. The money all goes off shore.” (scubawalk, AmbergrisCaye.com Message Board)

“We let them get away with an illegal rate hike… we let them get away with not paying us back for illegal overbilling… are we going to now let them get away with restricting how we use the services we are already overcharged for?” (cameraman, BelizeForums.com Message Board)

“BTL will do what ever they want. They are a monopoly and the PUC has no enforcement authority. The only way to hurt them is to cancel your service. Oh, can’t do that, there are not options. Except satellite. DSL is nice, but I think I’ll keep my Hughes Net service a few more months, just to see how things shake out. I was planning to cancel it in July, but maybe I’ll cancel BTL instead.” (Seagrape49, BelizeForums.com Message Board)